Round 5 Preview: DEMPO EYE VICTORY

East Bengal will host Dempo Sports Club in an exciting round 5 match at the Kalyani Stadium on 17th January at 2:30 pm.

Dempo will enter the game with 3 points from 4 matches while East Bengal will be playing their second match after winning their first against Shillong Lajong.

After suffering draws in their previous three matches, Dempo Coach Arthur Papas positively attempts to see this game as a step in the right direction. “Although we are unbeaten in 3 matches, now we need to take the next step and convert the draws into wins and no better way to measure the level of your team than against East Bengal away in Kalyani”.

Arthur Papas acknowledged the challenge which lies ahead as East Bengal is currently in top form and on the verge of entering the AFC CUP finals

“We are coming up against what I consider to be the most complete squad in East Bengal, it is a squad that has been improved over the course of 3-4 years under Trevor Morgan, and it shows in the way they have put themselves on the cusp of being the first Indian team to reach an AFC Cup Final.”

Dempo were, undeniably, better against all the three previous opponents. If not for three balls that hit off the woodwork and some other close chances that went wanting, the results could have been quite different.

Thankfully there are no injury worries for the Golden eagles and barring couple of changes, most of the squad which played in the earlier games has been retained for the upcoming match. Young Romeo Fernandes will be up for Gabriel Fernandes and Myron Fernandes has made way for Mandar Raut Dessai.

Pre Match Press Conference is scheduled at 4 pm on 16th October, 2013 at the Club Tent, Kolkata. Dempo SC will train at Kalyani on the morning of 16th October.

The Kick-off is scheduled at 2:30 pm and match shall be telecast live on TEN Action.